Reports are circulating that TV maker Panasonic has halted the development of plasma TVs and is considering exiting the market altogether. Panasonic wouldn't be the first major TV manufacturer to exit the sagging plasma TV market, as Vizio threw in the towel on the segment back in 2009.

The move is part of Panasonic's plan to turn around its ailing TV business. For its part, a Panasonic representative was more nebulous about the company’s intentions, stating, "We are considering a number of options regarding our TV business. But nothing has been decided yet.”

Panasonic announced in November of 2012 that it has plans to shed 10,000 workers by the end of March 2013. And last summer, Panasonic announced that it was teaming up with Sony to share costs and to collaborate on the production of next-generation OLED panels for TVs and other large displays. Many see OLED as the next big sreen technology in the TV industry.

You clearly don't know much about televisions. Plasmas still provide the best picture regardless of the price. Throw in the fact that you can get one for close to half the price of an equivalent "quality" level LED/LCD and it's a no brainer. Even bright rooms aren't an issue mostly, I have a 50" 6 year old Panasonic plasma in a room with 12'x24' bank of windows with no viewing issues.

quote: Hard to justify a panel at all at that size, mine as well get a projector if you want 70"+.

Projectors are as much about the screen as the projector itself. I can get a decent 70" LCD for less than a projector plus screen. And if you listen to the experts, lots of people can use a 70 inch screen in their homes without it being too big. My family room is large enough for a 70 but honestly wouldn't get more than a 60 (current is 55).

Not saying I haven't wished for a 70" plasma (those 70/80" Sharp Aquos are massive but with mediocre PQ), but with that kind of money, I think I'd want to open things up a bit. With a projector and a screen, you can have just about any size you want. Unfortunately, with a projector, you truly are limited to very dark viewing environments if you want the best PQ.

Realistically, I'm trying to convince a certain someone of the need for a 65" ZT60, but I'll probably end up with a 60" VT60.

Projectors are front-projection devices. That means their black levels directly affect their white levels because they're both reflecting off the same surface. Want bright whites? Then you'll have poor blacks because of ambient lighting reflecting off the same surface. Want dark blacks? Then you'll have dim whites because the screen is dark. The only work-around is to reduce the ambient lighting.

LCD, Plasma, and rear-projection DLP are all rear-projection devices. The front of the screen can be pitch black, but still light up fully when the rear light source is let through. So you can have the inky blacks along with bright whites that you can't get with a projector. The blacks are generated to (lack of) light reflecting off the front surface. The whites are generated by light transmitted through the front surface.

So no, it's not a simple matter of switching to a projector if you want 70"+.

Yes, and that is something I already stated elsewhere here. You do need a dedicated home theater setting to truly reap the benefits of a projector, AND a quality projector with comparable contrast ratio capabilities. But still, some would argue it's the best route if you're really looking for such a large image.

In a well lit room, LCD and Plasma are fine. For a true theater experience, though, I'd say pitch black room and a projector is the only way to go.